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G. S. GIFPORD.

(No Model.)

TOWEL HOLDER.

Patented July 3, 1 883.

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UNITED STATES GEORGE s. GIFFORD, OF

PATENT OFFICE.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE H. CURTIS, OF SAME PLACE.

TOWEL-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 280,464, dated July 3, 1883.

Application filed May 3, 1882. Renewed May 8, 1883. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. GIFFoRD, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and and useful Improvements in Towel-Holders, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to that class of towel- I0 holders which are usually hung on the front of counters in saloons and restaurants, and generally hold the towel by its edges or corners, leaving nearly the entire towel accessible for use.

This invention consists in a novel construction of the device for detachablyholding the towel conveniently in its aforesaid suspended position, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 shows any invention with a towel connected, and Fig. 2 is a detailview of the same detached from the towel. Y

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

a a represent two arms or plates, united at one end by a flexible bow or eye, I), and having their free ends provided with a cavity on the inner side, or made in the shape of a concavooonvex or semispherical shell, S, so that when said free ends of the spring-arms are pressed against each other they will form a hollow sphere or similar hollow shell.

0 is a ball or bulb, of any suitable material, though preferably of cork, and of proper size and shape to be embraced between the compressed free ends of the spring-arms. A ring, 0'', sliding on the exterior of said arms, serves to confine the free ends thereof in their aforesaid compressed position, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

My invention is operated as follows: The ring r is slipped back from the free end of the springarms a a to allow the same to distend, asshown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The bulb O is wrapped in a portion of the towel or nap kin to be suspended. The bulb thus enveloped is introduced between the free ends of the spring-arms a a, and the latter are then compressed and clasped around the enveloped bulb by slipping the ring r toward the free ends of the spring-arms. .The device is hung up by the ring or eye b, before described.

It is obvious that the described towelholder can be ornamented to suit the taste, and formed of any suitable material, and modified or varied in its outline and proportion, and I therefore do not limit myself in these respects. I do, however, prefer to make the two arms a a and the eye I) in one piece, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, stamped out of sheet metal, and thus materially reduce the cost of manufacture.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to s' cure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, with the spring-arms a a and their clasp a, of the concavo-convex shells S S, formed 011 the ends of said arms, and the separate bulb 0, adapted to be inclosed between the said shells, substantially in the manner described and shown, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name and affixed my seal, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the a county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, 7 5 this 27th day of April, 1882.

GEORGE S. GIFFORD.

Witnesses:

HORACE S. GROVE, WM. CowIE. 

